AFP doesn’t condone erring personnel — spox

The Armed Forces of the Philippines has emphasized its commitment to thoroughly investigating and addressing all misconduct allegations against military personnel.

During a press conference held at Camp Aguinaldo on Wednesday, AFP spokesperson, Col. Francel Margareth Padilla, said the organization takes a proactive approach in handling complaints, ensuring that they are diligently investigated by the Office on Ethical Standards and Public Accountability and the Office of the Provost Marshall General.

“In every instance, we follow due process and ensure that all parties are provided the opportunity to be heard before any adjudication of a complaint is arrived at,” Padilla told reporters.

Padilla assured that the AFP does not condone any personnel — both officers and enlisted personnel — who are found to be violating the military’s Code of Conduct — pertinent laws on violence against women and children.

She noted that the AFP Gender and Development Office, together with OESPA and OTPMG, also review and recommend policies, mechanisms, and interventions geared towards ensuring the AFP maintains an “environment and professional culture receptive and responsive to complaints involving allegations of misconduct by our service personnel.”

“The AFP Chief of Staff, General Romeo Brawner Jr, considers the welfare of women and children and the families of our soldiers, sailors, aviators, and marines as primordial and missioncritical to building a morally and ethically strong AFP,” Padilla said.

In a separate media interview, beleaguered Col. Ranulfo Sevilla, whose confirmation of ad interim to the rank of Brigadier General was thrice deferred by the Commission of Appointments’ panel on national defense, belied the allegations of her estranged wife that the Armed Forces of the Philippines was not acting on the complaints of abuses against women and children.

Sevilla’s promotion was blocked by his wife, Tessa Luz Aura Reyes-Sevilla, over domestic abuses during their marriage.

Reyes-Sevilla urged Brawner to act on similar complaints by wives of military officials.

Meanwhile, Sevilla denied marital and child abuse allegations by his wife, which caused the bypassing of his promotion.